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Please read the rules -Cougar :{)
- Thread starter mountaineergoldnblue
- Start date
ea42
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2006
- Messages
- 4,066
Most real protos that are one of a kinds are that way because they were duds. Say a cutlery has a slew of leftover blades from different models that they want to incorporate into a new knife to get rid of excess inventory. They put them together into some new handles, and realize that it looks terrible. Nothing fits or matches, so they toss the idea. Another one might have some new handles that they were trying out, but realized that they looked terrible, or warped, or cracked, and tossed the idea. On the other hand, the really collectable (and rare) protos are the ones sent in to the cutleries by custom makers who are involved in partnerships. One example I've seen is an D'Alton Holder proto of the millenium series knife. It was much bigger, with more defined blades and more handle detail. A real custom. Once Schrade got the proto they whittled it down some to make it more affordable and cost efficient, but that proto was a beauty. I've also seen the one he sent in to Canal Street for their new bowie, although this time the production model is very close to his design.
Eric
Eric
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2007
- Messages
- 621
There must be a huge difference then between a prototype on which thousands of subsequent knives are based and other prototypes that never make it into production for some of the reasons you mention.
Full production and consistent sales of the type would be the test of the validity of a prototype. That becomes its real claim to fame. Its the difference between a dream that finds full expression and one that died in the night before morning.
Regards Tim
Yep, desperate. I might have bought a couple of shields and extra tins, if they weren't bundled with those Chinese knives that have absolutely nothing to do with Schrade Cutlery or it's anniversary.
The real Old Timers that had those banner shields did not have the Old Timer shield; the banner was alone. There were some "dual-shield" Old Timers that had an anniversary shield and the usual Old Timer shield, but those anniversary shields (as I recall) had small round shields. I also think those "dual-shield" knives were end-of-days products and not a planned production, but since the shields were affixed to knives actually made in 2004 and made by Schrade, they're appropriate and not a complete sham like the knife in the scanned ad above.
The real Old Timers that had those banner shields did not have the Old Timer shield; the banner was alone. There were some "dual-shield" Old Timers that had an anniversary shield and the usual Old Timer shield, but those anniversary shields (as I recall) had small round shields. I also think those "dual-shield" knives were end-of-days products and not a planned production, but since the shields were affixed to knives actually made in 2004 and made by Schrade, they're appropriate and not a complete sham like the knife in the scanned ad above.